Vladimir Putin and Leonardo DiCaprio become BFFs at tiger summit

Will Leonardo DiCaprio make Saint Petersburg, Russia a regular travel destination? And has Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin adopted the American actor as his new best friend?

Mr. Putin welcomed Mr. DiCaprio to Russia for the first time this week. The occasion? A five day “Save the Tiger Summit.”

The two animal lovers came together for a common cause— and after chatting they soon found they had much more in common than just a passion for tiger conservation.

Mr. Putin believes that he and Mr. DiCaprio share some very admirable qualities — the first: they are both “real men.”

Mr. DiCaprio arrived at the summit late, due to two separate instances of plane trouble.

Mr. Putin was in the middle of a speech when Mr. DiCaprio finally arrived at the summit, he stopped his prepared speech immediately, and said “I would like to thank you for coming despite all the obstacles,” reported BBC News; “A person with less stable nerves could have decided against coming, could have read it as a sign — that it was not worth going.”

Mr. Putin had taken Mr. DiCaprio’s arrival as proof of his strength of character — he had “literally torn his way through to Saint Petersburg,” said Mr. Putin to the audience at the summit, reported Yahoo! News.

Mr. DiCaprio is a “muzhik!” declared Mr. Putin to the crowd — or “a real man!” the BBC reported, for his persistence.

Shouts of “Bravo!” rang out from the audience in response to all of Mr. Putin’s praises of Mr. DiCaprio.

Mr. Putin’s compliments are high praise for Mr. DiCaprio, as they come from a former KGB-er who has spent a lifetime concocting his image as a “real man” and “tough guy.” He practices judo, once shot a Siberian tiger with a tranquilizer gun, helped fly a fighter jet, burns rubber on the race track and uses very strong language during all of his speeches.

Mr. Putin already seemed smitten with Mr. DiCaprio, but he fell head-over-heels when Mr. Dicaprio referred to himself as “half-Russian.” Two of his late grandparents hailed from the country and he had always wanted to bring his grandmother to Saint Petersburg, reported BBC.

Mr. Putin was thrilled by his long lost countryman and said “I’m sure when you get to know Saint Petersburg you will be proud of your Russian roots.”

Then there are photos showing the two new friends, Mr. Putin and Mr. DiCaprio, two “real men” talking intimately and telling stories about tigers over tea.

Mr. DiCaprio spoke of his involvement tiger protection projects–and the actor is giving over $1-million to the effort. He also told Mr. Putin of his trips to India, Indonesia and Nepal.